More Holiday Job Seekers, Fewer Spots on Sales Floor

Thrailkill said he noticed many applicants this year had full-time careers but are not working now. That can be a boon for retailers seeking experienced employees, and the flexibility of retail jobs allows the employees to continue their job search while making money. But Thrailkill said the company asks seasonal hires to commit through January.

"What you don't want to have happen is you hire this great person, and then they find their dream job," Thrailkill said. "We want to make sure they give us some chance to still work with us."

Xina Eiland, president of Spa O and a public relations firm in the District, said she interviewed about 10 people over the summer for a $300-a-week entry-level assistant position but got few takers.

"They wanted more hours and didn't like the job description," said Eiland, who ultimately hired a college graduate who had lost her job at a magazine.

But over the past few weeks, Eiland said, about five people who rebuffed her during the summer have called back about the job. One, she said, included a woman living in California who sought to telecommute.

They said, " 'My job got downsized. Are you still looking for an assistant?' " she said. "I told them I'm using somebody now, but if anything opens up I'd let them know."

Even those who are employed may not be seeing the same benefits. Some restaurant servers say they aren't making as much in tips.

"Instead of 20 percent, I'm seeing 15 percent," said Liann Brobst, a server at a Red Hot & Blue restaurant in Gaithersburg. She said she used to bring home as much as $180 a night. Now she is lucky to break $100.

The job market is unlikely to improve before the holiday season ends. The retail sector added about 65,900 jobs last month, 19 percent below last year and the smallest October figure since 1991, according to outplacement consulting firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas. Chief executive John Challenger said he doubted November would produce a significant gain.

"This could end up being one of the weakest holiday hiring seasons in nearly two decades," he said.

Dan Russell, vice president at Aon Consulting, which works with several big-box and specialty retailers, said retailers also have traditionally been wary of job seekers from outside the industry. They worry applicants may be overqualified for the position and leave quickly, he said.

Butler said pay expectations also may not jibe with reality. The average retail wage was $11.79 per hour with an annual salary of $24,530 in 2007, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The national average for all occupations was a $19.56 hourly wage and $40,690 annual salary.

And many professionals, accustomed to sitting in ergonomic desk chairs, don't realize the physical stamina required to stay on their feet eight hours a day.

"A lot of people underestimate that it is a lot of work," Butler said.